


The Lonely Morning

by chessa



Category: Twilight Zone
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26538445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chessa/pseuds/chessa
Summary: I never liked the ending when the captain just shot her. He still did , but a better way to leave the story
Kudos: 3





	The Lonely Morning

Another blazing hot day, but Alicia and Corry had learned to cope with the barren asteroid they called home. Most of their chores and activities done in the relative coolness of nightfall and early morning. Then a light meal as they slept and dozed through the worst of the day.

  
But this day was a special day. The couple stayed awake during the daytime for they knew the supply ship was landing. 

  
Corry had jokingly asked for a bottle of wine. He wanted to celebrate his and Alicia's first year together. He also wanted some poetry books and art supplies. They knew the supply ship probably was not going to bring them wine. But they did ask for new seeds for their greenhouse. Maybe they also brought more books.

  
They were still puzzled by the supply ship's early arrival, which was much sooner than three months. It did not affect her personally. She had no need of supplies. No real need to eat or rest but she did because doing so pleased Corry.

Alicia and Corry were chatting out by the bathing area when they heard the ship come down. Her hair had dried, so she quickly pinned it up as Corry got to his feet and ran to the ship, leaving her behind.

  
But she could not fault him. He looked forward so much for the arrival of the supply ship and Captain Allenby.

  
The Captain had gifted her to Corry, knowing of his dreadful loneliness and isolation. He was rude to her at first. He said she was not a real woman. She was an android, a machine. It was only when Alicia cried ,out of despair from being alone with an angry hostile man that he showed remorse and accepted her.

  
Corry smiled and laughed now. Alicia had no doubt he accepted her, even loved her. With her as a companion, Corry achieved a new lease on life. He would say that until she came that he merely existed on a barren world.

She helped Corry improve his living quarters. Studying textbooks, they created a solar power greenhouse for fresh vegetables. They could solar power his home and lower the temperature of his home several degrees.  
Corry has asked for and been given a proper chess set, and jigsaw puzzles. They had game nights as each one tried to finish first. He asked for other boardgames and music records.   
The car was solar powered and stored energy in the battery pack. At night the temperature got quite chilly. Corry and Alicia often took long rides to nowhere, just delighting in the ride. On quiet nights they watched meteor showers. Sometimes the wind howled and they stayed inside. But even that gave an exciting appeal to their night. Marveling at the fury of the wind and elemental storm, knowing they were safe and snug inside.

He loved her long hair and asked her often to keep it loose. She did unless she was busy with some chore. Corry would call out her name in a sing-song voice just so she would turn around and smile at him. Corry loved her sweet smile. He asked her who she was modeled after, but she did not know. 

  
But Corry missed Earth and Alicia could not offer him comfort when he walked off alone to stare at the stars. He said he missed the beauty of his world which he took for granted. Waterfalls cascading down a mountain. The chilly whiteness of snow. The green of a meadow. Enjoying the freshness of a just picked orange.   
The companionship of people. Walking into a bar on a Saturday night. Watching a sports game on television. Busy traffic intersections. Life on Earth with its' endless variety of humans and animals and he missed them all.

Alicia listened intently. She never showed herself to the Captain and crew. Corry did not want them to see her. He said it could create problems. But with her android senses she could hear perfectly. The cases were being reviewed. Pardons were being granted. All the exiled prisoners were returning to Earth.  
The men were excited, speaking rapidly but she could still hear Corry. Then she heard her name. She sensed a sudden change in the conversation. The crewman's curious questions, Corry's furious insistence that she be included and the Captain's discomfort and self-regret. He must have forgotten about her.

  
She heard them all running to her and stood up to face them. She analyzed the only possible time. If Captain Allenby could take her, he would for the sake of Corry. But he had the other passengers and his crew to consider . Alicia sensed the resignation in the Captain's voice.

But more important to her - the joy in her Corry's voice when he first heard the good news.

  
He was going home to Earth.  
He was happy. Happier than he ever was living here.

  
Alicia glanced at the men and made eye contact with the Captain.

  
Her programmed task was completed.

  
Her reason to exist was done.  
Goodbye, Corry, Goodbye.


End file.
